Has Bagpipe Pitch Gone Too High?

Have you ever tried to balance an older bagpipe chanter, only to discover that you're pitching very flat compared to the rest of your band?

If it seems like bagpipes have become sharper in pitch than they used to be... that's because they have!

Bagpipe pitch has evolved over time. Back in the day, when even writing music down was rare because paper and ink were so expensive, there wasn't a standard pitch for bagpipes like we have today. Pipes were tuned to whatever pitch was convenient at the time, which could vary wildly across regions.

But as time went on, musicians started to seek out higher pitches for their instruments, believing higher pitches to produce a more brilliant and vibrant tone. So, gradually, the pitch of bagpipes began to rise.

Today, the standard pitch for most Western music is A440, but it's common to hear modern bagpipes tuning much sharper than that, especially on the competition field. The design of the instrument itself has evolved over time too, which also affects pitch and tone.

But not everyone is a fan of higher-pitched bagpipes. So, what does all of this mean for pipers today? Well, you have the option to choose to tune to a higher pitch for a brighter sound or a lower pitch for a richer sound. It all depends on your personal preferences and the style of music you're playing.

But given that everyone has different preferences for sharper or flatter pitch – and some of those people are judges in piping competitions – does sharpening your chanter pitch affect your chances of success in pipe band contests?

Check out this Dojo Conversations podcast (link below) to hear my thoughts on this, plus much more detail about the evolution of bagpipe pitch across the ages...